Teachers and parents occupy a special and unique partnership when it comes to the development of children. They come together during parent teacher interview is about reporting time in order to share information and compere notes about children and their progress.

This associationcan sometimes lead to the formation and development of socially based friendship between parents and teachers. While it is important to get on well with parents and primarycaregivers, I believe it important not to confuse professional obligations with social contacts.

If issues of professional aind social contact become intwined that can lead to teachers being less definitive thab should be the case when dealing with children. Teachers may tend to excuse or find a reason for poor behaviour. They might determine that circumstances are impacting on student performance.while understanding students is important expectations should not be reduced because of intimate knowledge or inside information available to teachers. This may result in teachers being labelled as “unfair” in dealing with children in different ways. It may also lead it to teachers diminishing standards and more general terms.

There is a danger in sociology. On the basis of some case studies teachers get too socially close to families and children within those families, unfortunate allegations and accusations may be levelled against teachers in future years. That has happened in the number of cases, with teachers reputations being permanently besmirched by unfair and untrue allegations over inappropriate conduct. A recent “Australian Story” reporting on the jailing of a female teacher for alleged interference with children 30 years earlier – with the woman eventually being exonerative and acquitted – balustrades my point. Had she not been friends with the family, this matter would never have arisen. Cases reported in the media from time to time con firm that allegations brought against teachers are not rare. Even with acquittal, the teachers reputation is forever ruined.

Fashion

The spate of abuse inquiry is happening around our nation at the moment are raising the issue of abuse to the forefront of public awareness. Without doubt, some of the allegations levelled against teachers at others are as a result of the “stimulation” generated by these inquiries. Sins against children need to be visited and perpetrators punished. However, the reputations of those who are completely innocent of any wrongdoing needs to need to be protected. I would can tend that keeping a distance between professional and social contactby teachers with parents of children is wise. Our actions todayneed to be such that we protect and guard against futurist allegations.